


A Thousand Miles Out

by xladysaya



Category: K (Anime)
Genre: First Meeting, M/M, Mer!AU, Mermaids, did i mention mermaids?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-27 21:54:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8418346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xladysaya/pseuds/xladysaya
Summary: Munakata wasn't one to throw unnecessary praise around, he felt words were to be used modestly, or if the circumstances were truly remarkable. But even with that belief of his, the young man in front of him may have been the most gorgeous he'd ever seen.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EmeraldWaves](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldWaves/gifts).



> Ahhh so this fic is for reisaru week and it's my first reisaru fic yay! (pls be nice to me lol)  
> I really wanted a Mer!AU because c'mon, Saru as a mermaid? A+++ af  
> This is also dedicated to one of my best friends, EmeraldWaves because she's always super supportive and there for me, and betas all my messy fics so she's amazing tbh  
> She's also a hardcore reisaru shipper and a fantastic writer, so make sure to go read the stuff she'll be posting this week too!
> 
> Ah anyways, I hope you all enjoy! <3 If anyone wants to see the reference pic I used for Saru's tail (bc i'm shit at describing things), send me a message lmao  
> I loosely based the mermaids in this on merrows, so they are human as long as they wear the little cape ha

The water cascades off the rocks, drowning out the sounds of unexplained dives and laughter. The pools glisten, as smooth and calm as the desolate rock which they encircle. The place, untouched and uninhabited for so long, shines with a freshness unfamiliar to many reaches of the world. The water is clear, no murkiness or mud to be found, no oils or smog polluting its depths. The white gravel and aquatic weeds sway beneath it, perfectly visible. The pools are small, eventually flowing out into the bay, where only the occasional ship passes. The land which sits on the water is silent.

When light traces of sunlight do manage to break through the wall of slick cliff side, it reflects and shines off the landscape, the waterfall illuminating a plethora of colors with no mortal there to witness it.

Quiet, sheltered. Or so it seems.

Despite all this, the water moves unnaturally, ripples shifting it gently, the trickles and splashes echoing on the dark rock. Laughter, the patter of feet. Then nothing. Everything is undisturbed again, peaceful and without unnatural noise.

Still, just because there is the silence, does not mean nothing is there.

\--

Munakata didn't mean to be so behind schedule, but alas, things in life were sometimes not planned. He was doing his best to not let the stress and aggravation of his assistants get to him as he let all their calls go to voicemail, the soft brightness of his screen illuminating every few minutes. The wind outside was harsh, but it drowned out the ringing.

He sighed heavily, leaning his head against cold metal of the plane he was on, a bit rusted and dirty, though he couldn't find enough disgust to pull away. The plane creaked, and as the side door opened, the chill from outside hit him, striking him violently.

No, he certainly wasn't in Shizume anymore.

He had several business meetings lined up for the next few days in far off cities, and he'd taken an early flight out of his own area in order to get a head start on all the preparations. The plane he took was small, old, and it passed through a rather desolate route as opposed to major airlines. However, it was what he'd found last minute and with the shortest flight time, and he figured it would be a new experience if anything. He did love to try things, after all.

Perhaps it had been bad judgement on his part. About an hour into the flight, of which he was the only passenger, the pilot was forced to land on account of technical difficulties. Munakata tried his best to be amused when the pilot simply laughed and told him to 'think of it as a layover.'

It was of course, inconvenient, as Munakata would have to occupy himself for a few hours until the small issue was fixed.

The wind picked up again, and Munakata wondered why the weather couldn't make up its mind. It was peculiar, it wasn't necessarily the cold season...

He slumped back into his rickety seat, sighing heavily as he checked the time on his phone. He was receiving texts and worried emails about what his ETA was, but he wasn't in the mood to deal with them. He'd arrive when he arrived, no use in fretting. Munakata's biggest issue at the moment was finding something to kill time. He hated to waste any moment, being active was always the better solution. The smell of sand and wet driftwood invaded his space, and he glanced outside the door. He couldn't see much other than some uninteresting grassland, but it was obvious the plane was situated oddly, almost in a crevice, though the ground was flat. He would have to venture out to see the surroundings accurately...

It was either that, or sit in the stuffy plane with the pilot. Surely, he could find something more interesting to do.

Thinking to himself, he leaned against the water spotted window, squinting a bit at the dirt and fogginess. The weather outside was overcast, gloomy really. As he looked to the ground outside, he saw the rocks lining the area were wet, and it was then Munakata realized they weren't in a crevice, more like a cove. Or, somewhat at least. It resembled a cove, but there was no water, just the landing pad and wet sand, a small arch of rock towering over it. Even the barely visible pad, which he'd finally noticed, was shrouded in weeds and shells.

_Am I by the sea?_

He could barely see out of the poor excuse for a window, and being the curious man he was, unbuckled himself and told the pilot he'd be back at the appropriate time.

The latch on the rusty door squeaked as he closed it, and Munakata was hit with a gust of wind and the smell of salt water. He couldn't help it, he inhaled the freshness, and embraced the wind and smog free air.  _Peculiar_...

It wasn't as if they were too far out from the mainland, yet the air here felt inexplicably clean and healthy. He laughed to himself, to think he was surprised by the presence of clean air.

Even so, he smiled. He could stand there and simply inhale for hours.

Comfort swept over him, despite the chill, and he stepped out onto the slick ground happily, smile slowly forming on his face.

The plane was beside a small hill which overlooked a large body of water, only connected to the main island by a strip of wide rock, elevated and being constantly hit by the low tide. The water was steady from what he could see, and it carved out the area, some parts of it hidden by caves and concealed by cliffs. It was a strange landscape, and he'd almost call it man made, but no...that didn't feel right either.

Munakata didn't like to throw around words like 'magical' and 'otherworldly,' but they were certainly itching at his brain. Munakata was filled with the need to explore, and he didn't know where to start.

But ah, it was best to begin simple.

There was a town across the strip, small and almost something out of a different time. That struck him as well, the area seemed far too concealed and silent to have a population, but the discovery was not unwelcome.

Munakata figured it would be enjoyable to purchase some local goods, as he was rather fond of collecting memorabilia from new places, especially beautiful ones such as this.

He ventured off the hill and towards the island until his boots tapped against the dark, cold rock, and he pulled his jacket around him a bit tighter. The wind was strong and biting, but even still, it energized him. Even with the gusts, the walk to town looked manageable and quick, and he began his walk towards it excitedly.

The air around him was cool and misty, like a wave was constantly crashing and spraying the salty water up into the air. In fact, that wasn't far from the truth.

The small, unnamed town sat on the coast of what he could now see was a large bay, situated on the jagged cliffs which sloped oddly. The land and sea were almost one and the same, part of the town dipping into the water at different points. Some backyards even seemed to open to the sea, and it was like the town was something out of a novel, appearing as a simpler, shoddier looking Atlantis. The sand on the beach was darker, almost gray compared to most, but certainly not unclean or putrid in any way.

He wondered if any of the other more concealed areas of the beach were accessible...

Judging from the jagged rocks and warning signs, he guessed not. Unfortunate, but he could still walk the authorized parts of the coast if he felt up to it.

The sand getting stuck to his shoes made a scratchy noise as he approached the town. The inclines was a bit difficult due to the wind and slickness of the ground's surface, but he managed it gracefully, hardly stumbling.

As he'd suspected, the town was full of character. In fact, it was abandoned.

Munakata froze at the entrance, eyeing the area with only brief disappointment before wonder took over.

The old wood of the market stalls and homes was old and decaying, small mammals taking up residence and scurrying away as Munakata approached. He walked slowly along the small path, boot crunching into the sand and debris as the wind rattled some chimes on a doorstep. Rather than the sound being eerie however, the melody was entrancing, gentle and uplifting in a way he didn't know was capable with such a simple device.

He ventured further, staring at the empty benches, weaved picnic baskets and cloths... It was what one might've expected at first glance; empty structures, the absence of sound and people...

But no, something was different, and Munakata could feel it.

The town didn't carry an air of death or loneliness, as most ghost towns did. No sadness or broken belongings of the previous owners.

All around there were items. Clean items, new items. Multi-colored plates, stunning jewelry, freshly picked flowers, and tended plants.

Recently tended.

There was even a watering can placed next to it, designs painted onto it with lively colors and wacky characters.

There were linens laid out to dry, a basket which was almost completely weaved...a campfire with embers still hot.

In short, it was as if everyone had evacuated not moments before his arrival.

Munakata was intrigued, to say the least, and he strode up to the market stall with the jewelry, picking up a lovely pink one with painted shells.

_Exquisite craftsmanship..._

He placed it down, hoping to not disrespect the absent artisan.

Maybe it was some sort of fishing village, and everyone was out on their boats...

Munakata huffed to himself. It was highly unlikely, but he was trying to be logical. After all, why else would people have run away?

A twig snapped.

Munakata reacted instantly, turning down the path, only to be met with the slim, elegant figure of another man standing at the end of it, frozen stiff in apprehension.

Munakata couldn't help but gasp, not because he'd finally seen another living person, but...

Munakata wasn't one to throw unnecessary praise around, he felt words were to be used modestly, or if the circumstances were truly remarkable.

But even with that belief of his, the young man in front of him may have been the most gorgeous he'd ever seen.

The young man had piercing blue eyes, narrowed and focused, and Munakata felt caught in their cross hairs. Dark brown bangs hung fetchingly over one of his eyes, barely touching the top of his pair of plain, black glasses.

His skin looked unnaturally smooth, unblemished, and Munakata couldn't help but stare for longer than what was probably appropriate.

Lastly, and perhaps the most notable and peculiar thing, was the fact his delicate face was framed perfectly by a simple, light blue hood. The cap of the hood was large enough to where it was capable of hiding the man's face, if he chose it, and it was tightened around his neck by a gold clip before billowing slightly past the shoulders. An odd fashion choice, but not unappealing. In fact, it probably made him even more striking.

Munakata wasn't thinking, and he'd barely managed to utter the first syllable of 'beautiful,' when the other took off in nothing short of a desperate sprint down the path, towards the rocky coves.

Munakata didn't even second guess himself, relying on instinct, and shed his coat before following with more speed than he thought he could manage. "Wait! Please!"

His boots slipped on the rock when he reached the end of the path, and the terrain was nothing but cliff and rock, and he didn't even stop to worry about whether he'd be able to find his way back as he was running deeper into rock formations and tunnels.

He could hear the echoes of rushing water and muffled wind from inside the tunnels, the sound fading in and out as he ran between crevices and under arches, never once taking his eyes off the blue hood in front of him, even as his eyes burned from the wind and his boots slipped.

The other man seemed quite agile, easily running through and around every obstacle, flying over rocks, sliding through small spaces, whatever he could do to get the advantage. Munakata was determined yes, but maybe even he overestimated himself.

He didn't spare a glance behind him, but he knew he'd left the town far behind. His lungs were on fire, and still he kept running, watching as the other man slid and glided over the dark rocks, his feet bare and hood billowing.

No, Munakata couldn't give up.

Soon though, his legs were giving out. Munakata was far from out of shape, but the new and rough terrain was foreign to him, and his body wasn't used to the sudden stress, and he was slowing down. He grunted in frustration, losing sight of the blur which was the other man.

It was at that moment he came to an inconvenient intersection, and he blindly tried to guess which direction the other had gone. He ended up choosing a rather collapsed looking cave, one which probably wasn't stable, but nevertheless it was the less obvious choice out of his options, so he chose to follow it.

The patter of feet had faded, leaving no sounds but those of nature and Munakata's harsh breathing behind. Gently, he came to a halt, slumping against the wall of the cave with blue, wet crystals lining its surface. Munakata held his breath a bit before glancing around the circular tunnel he was now encompassed by. The walls gleamed even without the sun, leaving him in a comforting shadow of azure which captivated him. Or at least, it would've, had it not been for the disappointment he felt.

He lightly punched the sleek wall with what little strength he had, not yet wanting to think about the best way to get back. He should just rest for now, breathe and--

Water. Loud splashes, a light mist...

The smell of salt and sand.

No, it couldn't be...

_This place is truly full of surprises._

Munakata followed the sounds he was hearing, inching forward along the tunnel as his palm slid over the smooth, marble like texture of the wall.

He kept his eyes forward, until he rounded a curve several minutes later, finding that yes, his hunch was correct.

It was a waterfall. The cave he was in was hidden behind it, and the powerful blue stream was cascading down before his very eyes. He continued, being careful to not lose his footing on the slippery surface in case the cave dropped off a cliff, as many waterfalls had several hidden crevices behind it. Last thing he wanted was to misjudge his location, and fall.

Fortunately, it seemed he was nearly at the base of the waterfall, the main ground only a few feet down. A mere hop, essentially.

And he did just that, he hopped down, careful to avoid being drenched by the heavy stream from above. He maneuvered along the cliff wall, successfully getting around the wide falls.

When he'd finally managed to get a safe distance away onto a patch of vibrant grass, he looked forward, and all breath left him.

In front of him, was nothing short of an aquatic wonderland, something straight out of fairytales and books. A collection of three small pools at slightly different elevations, all of which eventually flowed out into the large bay surrounding the island. The area was encased by rock and hidden by cliffs and coves, unseen from the outside, and certainly almost impossible to find. The water was so clear, transparent really, all the plants and sea stones perfectly visible to him through the water. It was peaceful, quiet, and Munakata could not be more thankful to be able to witness such a place.

Still, all the beauty of the landscape wasn't what got him. It was the young man, standing in the middle of the first pool, disrobed and stunning, with only the blue hood adorning his elegant form. Even the glasses had been removed, opening up the other’s face. Munakata forced himself to exhale, watching as the man lowered his hood, revealing locks of dark hair, which fell in a gorgeous manner. He was staring out towards the bay and not yet aware of Munakata's presence, that is, until Munakata made the mistake of stepping forward, and causing his boots to squeak against the wet ground.

The other froze, whipping his head around to face Munakata once more, those piercing orbs of cerulean striking Munakata to the core.

The young man's naked form went rigid, and his hands fisted in the soft material of his hood as his mouth hung open in shock, as if he'd been sure to lose Munakata, and was imagining things.

No such luck.

Munakata was frozen too, trying not to spook the other. Not like he could go anywhere though, unless the other planned to swim away.

Ah, but maybe he was wrong.

The other barely blinked before he was diving into the pool, covering his naked body and hiding himself behind one of the nearby boulders, eyes dangerous as they stayed trained on Munakata. The sound of the water crashing faded soon after,and it was only then Munakata managed to process the action. It had all happened so fast, Munakata stumbled, landing unceremoniously on his backside, boots partially stuck in the shallows of the pool.

He was breathing heavy again, but for different reasons.

_He sure is skittish..._

Although, perhaps Munakata couldn't blame him. Munakata had intruded on an obviously personal moment. But even so...

Why run away? Why come to such a hidden place?

Those cold eyes remained fixed on him, the long fingers clutching the rock which the other man was hidden behind. They looked a bit strange, his hands...

"You shouldn't be here," the other finally spoke, voice shattering through Munakata's thoughts with the gloomy, yet angelic tone. The voice was heavenly, and it drew him in. Only his own logic and reason were keeping him from entering the pool. "Why did you come?"

Munakata shook the strange impulse away, clearing his throat from the dryness. "I could ask you the very same, what is this place? Who are you?"

The other seemed to squint them, suspicious, but intrigued as he revealed himself a tad more. He clicked his tongue, fingers leaving the surface of the rock. Just the action in itself diffused the tension somewhat. "....Fushimi. You really have no idea where you are?"

Munakata only shook his head, confused, but not at all unhappy as Fushimi slowly swam up to him. Something about his movements were off, slow and graceful, effortless. A natural swimmer perhaps...

But that didn't sit quite right either, not with how the other glided along the surface of the pool, causing gentle ripples to expand out across it. He was quiet too, Munakata couldn't even hear the movement of the water.

 _Gorgeous_...

"You're alone? No...research crew or explorers with you?" Fushimi inquired, sinking a bit into the pool, the ends of his dark hair noticeably becoming darker from the water.

Munakata blinked. Now he was truly perplexed. The other truly looked cautious and harmless however, so Munakata felt there was no danger in sharing the information. "I'm alone, my plane just stopped here for repairs...Why exactly would I be with such people?"

Well, the place was gorgeous. It might attract some form of tourism, but its secluded nature probably made a trip unappealing, plus the 'deserted' town aspect. There didn't seem to be much to do there other than go on the beach. Why would researchers come? The marine life? The foliage?

"So you're not here to catch us then..."

Munakata's eyes widened at that, and he scooted closer towards the pool, not caring that his pant leg was being somewhat soaked by the icy water.  _Catch? Us?_

Munakata didn't get the chance to ask.

Fushimi's face seemed to relax, taking on a more annoyed, yet casual quality as he swam forward onto the small bed of sand which sloped up and out of the water. He was now right in front of Munakata's waist, arms crossed, and slowly, he brought up his legs--

Munakata gasped loudly, jaw going a bit slack as, not legs, but a tail came up behind Fushimi, long and glowing.

It was stunning, the shimmering scales being a cornflower blue color, sparkling as the tail moved slightly back and forth. It shone with the few traces of sunlight present, reflecting a multitude of colors which complimented the beautiful landscape. The fins were not what he expected either, his only knowledge of mer-people being movies and children's animations, where the fins were simple and pointed. But no, Fushimi's were elegant, far from typical. The fins had no sharp points, and the ends of them were uneven, looking more like tattered drapes as they billowed about. They were a lighter shade, powder blue, and there were two sets, the larger at the very bottom of the tail, and a smaller set right above those.

Munakata found himself inching forward, transfixed by the startling colors and design, but his eyes always seemed to be coming back to Fushimi's face, which nothing seemed to come close to in perfection.

As if uncomfortable with the attention on both his tail and face, Fushimi leaned up on his hands, submerging his tail in the water, and giving Munakata a nice look at his waist and abdomen. Huh, there was a vestigial set of small fins at his hips as well, identical in design to the others...

"Are you going to quit staring anytime soon?"

Munakata's eyes snapped back to Fushimi's face, which was now considerably closer to his own, and suppressed a chuckle at the unamused expression there. If he wasn't so amazed, he might've even laughed with less restraint.

But no, his situation didn't call for that. In fact, he didn't know what it called for.

"I apologize," he began, clearing his throat from the shock as he saw Fushimi's tail flick in the pool. "It's just...you're incredible. I've never seen anyone like--"

"There are plenty of us actually, not like it's important." Another click of the tongue. Huh, Munakata was starting to find it pleasant. "Anyways, you shouldn't have followed, it's just going to be annoying for me now."

"And why is that?" Munakata stilled a bit at the thought, Come to think of it, Fushimi had been rather lazy with approaching him. Not that Munakata wasn't glad, but for all Fushimi knew, he could've been a less than honorable man, one who would run to the media or come back with a team of hunters. He would never of course, but the other should've been more cautious.

"Well, now I'll have to make sure you forget all of this," Fushimi said, giving a long, suffering sigh as he plopped back down into the shallow depths, swimming about leisurely. Munakata nearly laughed, as if he would ever forget someone like Fushimi.

"Forget you say? How could I? You're extraordinary," Munakata replied, leaning in as Fushimi dipped his head under the water, his hair falling nicely over his eyes from its wet quality. "And for future reference Fushimi-kun, maybe you shouldn't be so open with strangers."

It was then Fushimi scoffed, sending a glare towards Munakata. "As if I'd be so stupid. I'm not an idiot, if I...if I  _kiss_ you, you'll forget all of this, and everything I told you. Don’t worry though, I’ll make sure you make it back to town, but it’ll be annoying. I know this island better than you too, so if you even try to run and get away, it wouldn't be an issue to catch you, so don’t bother."

Ah, so that was it. Fushimi's roundabout way of confirming his own advantage over Munakata.

But...a kiss?

It was then that the other swam up to him again, quickly, almost abruptly, and leaned up again to place his face closer to Munakata's. Munakata gasped, bringing up a hand to hold Fushimi's shoulder, keeping him at bay. The other obviously seemed uncomfortable with the lack of personal space, his face lightly flushed and his expression fixed in a grimace. Munakata's eyes softened, eyes twinkling with amusement. It seemed to only intensify the glare on Fushimi's face.

"Don't resist, I'd rather get this crap over with," Fushimi muttered, leaning forward against Munakata's hand.

Munakata nodded, but his hand didn't budge. Strangely, he was conflicted. He wanted to respect Fushimi's wishes, after all, Munakata _had_ intruded, and was now in the possession of private knowledge. It was a simple decision, and not a completely unpleasant one. Let Fushimi kiss him, forget about the other's existence, and respect the other's privacy.

Still though...

He didn't want to forget Fushimi. He'd only just met him, but Munakata already felt different, fortunate even, to have met such a beautiful creature, to have seen such a stunning place. Sure, he'd never tell anyone, only replaying the events in his mind, but it was enough. Fushimi, for reasons unknown even to Munakata, was someone he wished to remember for the rest of his life.

Munakata brought his other hand up, placing it softly on Fushimi's neck as he gave the other a pleading look. "I will not tell."

Fushimi's eyes widened, staring right into Munakata's violet ones, suspicious and even scared. He clicked his tongue again, but it was shaky. Perhaps the closeness made him uncomfortable. "How am I supposed to believe that?"

"You have my word."

Fushimi's pulse quickened under Munakata's fingers. "That's not a good thing to swear on, break one of my kind's promises, it won't mean good things for you. Don't be an idiot."

Munakata smiled, and acting on impulse, kissed the top of Fushimi's head, sort of confirming a pact in a way. He shocked even himself, but didn’t regret it. Instead, he felt rather pleased at the light blush which spread over the other’s face. "Then, I swear I will not tell anyone."

Fushimi's breathing stuttered, and as the other's hand came up to sit over the one Munakata had on his neck, he tensed.

The water around Fushimi splashed as his tail came up, swishing around in what Munakata hoped was something resembling happiness, and not just the anxiety of the situation. The loud crashing of the waterfall behind them didn't make the silence any more bearable, but Munakata didn't move, simply waited with all the patience he could muster.

Fushimi bit his lip, and after some time, he was leaning in...

\--

"Hey, I was beginning to wonder where ya went!"

The pilot coughed into his hand, patting the old plane beside him as Munakata descended down onto the landing pad. The engine seemed to be running.

Munakata didn't even want to know how many messages were on his phone now.

"You ready to go?" The pilot asked, not really waiting for an answer as he hopped into the aircraft. Munakata nodded, expression content despite his lateness, and he climbed up into the rusty plane, not even cringing when it squeaked shut behind him.

As the plane began to take off, Munakata looked to the island once more, watching as it got smaller and smaller the farther away he got from it. It almost made him a bit sad, leaving the peaceful place behind, but it was better off left alone anyways. No doubt human interference would damage its beauty. Munakata was glad he'd gotten to see it, even if he was now terribly late to his meetings.

Soon the island was nothing more than a speck, and Munakata closed the window, relaxing in his chair as the plane shook.

"You were gone the whole time I was fixing this baby up, what were you doin on that rock? People haven't lived there for ages!" The pilot's voice was barely audible over the loud hum of the aircraft's engine, but still Munakata managed to formulate a reply.

"Mostly exploring the scenery, it was quite pleasant. I wish I could have taken photos for my office."

"Whatever you say man..."

Sighing, Munakata grinned to himself, closing his eyes as the pilot informed him of their estimated arrival time. He didn't care at the moment, tiredness overtaking him, and his body warming up from the cold.

For now, he could let himself slip into his dreams as his thoughts ran wild with images of waterfalls and sparkling caves.

Despite everything, he was thankful for those.

Well, those and the fact that his pant leg was still wet, and his cheek was cold from the lips which had pressed against it.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments are always welcome <3  
> Tumblr: its-love-u-asshole  
> Twitter: itsloveuasshole


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